


Everything West of Home

by MayQueen517



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Gen, self-indulgent AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-19
Updated: 2013-10-19
Packaged: 2017-12-29 20:15:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1009610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MayQueen517/pseuds/MayQueen517
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chuck has never known the right thing to say. It's not a gift he has and it's not one he's ever cared about. It doesn't get him many friends, but despite it all, Mako Mori is his best friend. She is, to be honest, his only friend, but he figures you only need one really good one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Everything West of Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [saellys (Sticks)](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=saellys+%28Sticks%29).



> So...yesterday, I started rambling to saellys over on Tumblr about the fic I wanted where instead of Chuck and Herc piloting Striker Eureka together, that Mako and Chuck were supposed to be copilots and instead, Mako and Herc turned out to be SUPER compatible. And it sort of kept rolling and if you wanna read all of my ramblings, you can do that [here (start at the bottom, of course)](http://mayqueen517.tumblr.com/tagged/PR-Notfic). 
> 
> Anyways, this is super self-indulgent and for saellys who is an enabling enabler. Enjoy!
> 
> (Title from the River City Extension song of the same name! Thanks go out to verbosewordsmith for making it better as always! <3)

Chuck can't say anything as they walk to his quarters. The people in the hallway clear off as he strides faster than he knows Mako can walk. She doesn't rush to join him, letting him keep his own pace as he flings open the door to his quarters. Anger is a dirty, filthy haze over his vision as he resists the urge to throw a cup of pens against the wall. 

"Chuck, stop," she says as he clenches his hands tightly, looking at the cup before his eyes focus on the blueprints of Lucky Seven beside a picture of his Mum. 

"This is bullshit, Mako and you know it," he says, knuckles going white as he finally turns to face her. She's as stoic as ever, as she always has been and it's ridiculous and he wants her to break as much as he wants to have that much control. 

"It might not even work," she says carefully and he can see the flash of pain on her face and he's not sure if it's at the thought of it working or the thought of it not working. He knows the right thing to say is something supportive of her and this opportunity and whatever else it is that she needs to hear now.

Chuck has never known the right thing to say. It's not a gift he has and it's not one he's ever cared about. It doesn't get him many friends, but despite it all, Mako Mori is his best friend. She is, to be honest, his only friend, but he figures you only need one really good one. 

They've fought, dirty and vicious and formally with hanbo in the Kwoon. They've fought until they're bloody, until Chuck's nose is dripping blood and there's a bruise blossoming on Mako's cheek. They've fought until their fathers have had to pull them apart, disappointment in their eyes as Chuck met Mako's with a promise of 'Next time.'

"You were supposed to be my bloody copilot!" he says, on the verge of screaming it at her as she sighs, pulling her long hair back from her face.

"Chuck-"

"No! What am I supposed to do? Wait around until they find some other washed up Mark-1 pilot looking for a last bit of glo-"

His head snaps back as her fist makes contact with his face. She's fast. Always has been; darting out to strike where she can reach and do the most damage. Chuck doesn't get to finish his comment before she holds her fists up, waiting to see what he's gonna do. Blood is starting to well in his nose and he groans loudly.

"What the fuck, Mako?" Chuck asks as she glares at him. They were meant to Drift together, to build their Jaeger to how they wanted, the weapons they wanted and everything to their specifications. It was meant to be for them and instead, because of numbers on paper, she's going to Drift with his Dad. His Dad who Chuck hasn't seen in months. 

"You will not say that again," she says calmly. The door to his quarters are open and there are people walking by as he reaches for some tissue to wipe his nose, sniffing hard and wincing. She stares at him, daring him to say something else and well, Chuck has never been able to resist.

"What? Washed up pilot looking for glory like my old man?" he asks, ducking her next swing, "Destroyed his Jaeger and my bloody Uncle and now he wants you? Makes sense, I guess," Chuck says, hating himself and the way everything feels as if it's twisting as he says it. Mako's face, normally calm and pleasant, transforms into something biting and angry as she executes one of the most gorgeous left hooks that Chuck has ever seen. 

It does, unfortunately, connect firmly, rocking him back. He stumbles and he can feel the pain radiating from his nose from where she's broken it. He shouts and throws a punch, feeling her deflect it easily. They spill into the hall and she pins him hard, arms twisted behind his back as blood drips off of his face and onto the hallway floor. She leans over and her voice is breathless but firm even as he picks out the sound of apology in it.

"This is how it is going to be. I am sorry. It was supposed to be ours, but you will not say those things again," she says, as he groans and tries to throw her off.

"You will not say those things again," she says again, stony and immovable as he nods once, sharply.

"Say it," she says, squeezing his wrist.

"Fine!" he says, feeling her release him and as she stands. He looks up at her, cupping his hand over his nose as their eyes meet. Chuck wonders at the possibilities, at other worlds where they may have never met, the ones where they weren't Drift Compatible. 

For a moment, standing in the hallway and staring at Mako, he wonders if those worlds would have been better.

"Fine," he repeats softly, stalking into his quarters and slamming the door. 

===

He spends three days in his quarters.

His nose aches but it's not bad enough to need medical attention. He spends two days in his quarters, tearing down the drawings that he and Mako had passed back and forth, packing his things into his suitcase only to pull them out and toss them back into the closet and drawers all over again. He doesn't go to class on the third day, either. Instead, he goes to find Tendo.

Tendo Choi is not only the biggest gossip that the PPDC has ever seen but Chuck knows he's in charge of all the Drifts initiated. 

He thinks to his and Mako's own first Drift, trading good and bad memories back and forth before Tendo's reassuring voice came through, alerting them to the steady neural bridge between them. Chuck isn't sure what he's going to do after this but he damned sure knows it doesn't involve talking to his father or Mako right now.

"Oi, Buddy Holly," Chuck calls out as Tendo looks up, eyebrow arched from where he's taking a sip of coffee.

"Bit before your time, isn't it?" Tendo asks as Chuck blinks and shakes his head, waving him off.

"Whatever. Look, tell me when Mako and the old man are testing," Chuck says as Tendo sighs, sipping his coffee more as he meets Chuck's eyes. 

"What's it worth to you?" he asks bluntly and Chuck appreciates it. Everything is in barter in a Shatterdome and in the Academy as well. Chuck sighs, scrubbing a hand through his hair as he casts his mind around.

"I'll organize that pile of shite you call a desk. With that weird system you use."

"You mean the alphabet?" Tendo says, amused as Chuck rolls his eyes.

"Look, if you're not gonna tell me then-"

"Tomorrow. Lunchtime. But Chuck, it's a closed room, my man," Tendo says, draining his cup of coffee before pouring another one. Chuck cannot fathom drinking as much coffee as Tendo does but he supposes that's why he's only a pilot trainee and Tendo runs LOCCENT. Chuck doesn't think about what it means that his only other copilot candidate is going to be his father's copilot now. 

"Thanks, Tendo," Chuck says, waving him off as he stalks back to his quarters. 

===

Stacker Pentecost is a nice enough guy. Chuck knows this from the times when his Dad has dragged him to a set of apartments where Pentecost and Mako live, sitting with Pentecost and laughing quietly. Chuck is pretty sure he knows exactly what's between his Dad and Pentecost but right now that doesn't matter.

What matters is his best friend and his father are climbing into a Jaeger together for the first time based on numbers and zero training. He meets Pentecost's eyes, feeling like a teenager rather than one of the youngest recruits to the Jaeger Academy. He sees Pentecost prepare to speak as Chuck shakes his head, clearing his throat.

"With all due respect, Sir, I'm not leaving," Chuck says, standing in front of the closed door into LOCCENT. He can feel the other eyes on him and Tendo looks about ten different kinds of exasperated as Stacker's face hardens.

Chuck keeps his arms by his sides. He isn't quite at attention but his body puts him as close to it as he can get. Pentecost eyes him before Tendo clears his throat, not breaking in but letting them both know that the time for a decision is now.

"I'm not leaving until I know this goes well for Mako."

"And your father?"

"My father's universally compatible; he'll Drift just fine," Chuck says and he can see the minute change of Pentecost's face before he nods. Chuck stands behind Tendo and sees the expression on Tendo's face turn to amusement before it's all business.

Chuck stays quiet, falling away from the sloppy attention he had found himself in, crossing his arms firmly, watching as Tendo rattles off stats to the room, other stations checking in. He watches both his father and Mako (in drive-suits that are mismatched but sized perfectly which makes Chuck swallow hard) climb into the bare bones of the Jaeger that will soon be shipped to Sydney, along with it's brand new pilots. Over Tendo's shoulder, Chuck can see the cam feed from their helmets, Mako's face expressive in her nerves and excitement and he can see the hint of a bruise at her jaw and something sick settles in the back of his throat.

His nose still aches from her first punch and he doesn't remember catching her jaw but he can still feel the phantom pressure of her knee in his back. His father on the other hand looks calm and collected, audio from the feed spilling into LOCCENT as he talks to Mako.

"Remember, the RABITS are tricky but just let 'em go and we'll be fine," he reassures her in a warm voice. Chuck feels eyes on him, knowing that people are watching him as Mako nods easily, eyes closing.

"Good afternoon, this is your Captain speaking and I'd like to welcome you to Air Jaeger," Tendo says as Mako laughs, caught off guard. Chuck watches his father snort, shaking his head, "Please keep your seat-belts on and trays in the upright position as we initiate the neural handshake."

Chuck doesn't know why Tendo does it or even why Pentecost allows it but he sees the smile it brings to their faces and the way that Mako is no longer doing her breathing exercises for nerves as Tendo counts the neural handshake down.

The data scrolls through and Chuck watches as their brainwaves shift and change, mimicking one another before they settle. He's never seen it from this end before and he stares as the brain waves sync, the AI's voice placidly announcing the same thing over the PA as Tendo whistles.

"That might be a new record for fastest neural handshake initiation I've seen, you two. Run him through some exercises and let's see what you've got," Tendo says as he turns to look up at Pentecost. Pentecost who has an expression that is somewhere between pride and sorrow that Chuck, for once, completely understands.

"Handshake holding strong, Sir," Tendo says softly as Pentecost nods, watching as Mako beams in the light of her cam feed. Chuck can see his father's face, fond amusement echoed and Chuck goes back to watching their brainwaves. They take the Jaeger through what moves they can (it is, after all, a skeleton of a Jaeger so far) and it's smooth. It's as smooth as anything Chuck has ever seen, save, perhaps, for the few times he was allowed to see his father and Uncle drop.

He doesn't think about that now.

Pentecost looks over to him, watching him intently as Chuck nods slowly, not saying a word as Tendo congratulates them. 

"They'll be good."

"They'll be the best," Chuck says with a derisive snort. Pentecost looks at him and nods, a glint of amusement sparking just once before he schools his expression back.

Chuck can't stand LOCCENT any longer and silently, he steps back to the door, walking out without looking back.

===

He doesn't give up, is the thing. He simply returns the books from his classes on being a trainee pilot. He doesn't talk about it and if Mako or his father try to speak with them, he brushes them off.

Chuck doesn't give up. 

Instead, he finds himself going down to the floor, talking to the tech in charge, a woman named Sylvia who's overseeing the move of the Mark-5 to Sydney.

"And just why should I bring you with us?" she asks, putting her hands on her hips, watching him intently. Chuck's eyes stumble over the bright purple of her hair before he clears his throat.

"I'm not gonna hold my breath for another copilot candidate. At least I can be useful and work on him," Chuck says, motioning up as Sylvia follows the motion, a smile crossing her face.

"Tell me what you know," Sylvia says, turning to him, as Chuck shakes his head. He looks over the frame and ignores the twist of jealousy and anger toward Mako and his father. Instead, he looks back to Sylvia, snorting.

"About him? Everything."

**Author's Note:**

> You're welcome to come chat and/or prompt me something on tumblr at [MayQueen517!](http://mayqueen517.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> Also, for the record, I imagine Sylvia to look like Jill Scott - specifically [this picture.](http://i366.photobucket.com/albums/oo103/Chrissy517/Sylvia_zps6a230591.jpg)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Missed Opportunity](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1010249) by [hauntedjaeger (saellys)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/saellys/pseuds/hauntedjaeger)




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